Stepan Arkadyevitch handed back the letter, and with the same

surprise continued looking at his brother-in-law, not knowing

what to say. This silence was so awkward for both of them that

Stepan Arkadyevitch's lips began twitching nervously, while he

still gazed without speaking at Karenin's face.

"That's what I wanted to say to her," said Alexey Alexandrovitch,

turning away.

"Yes, yes..." said Stepan Arkadyevitch, not able to answer for

the tears that were choking him.

"Yes, yes, I understand you," he brought out at last.

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"I want to know what she would like," said Alexey Alexandrovitch.

"I am afraid she does not understand her own position. She is

not a judge," said Stepan Arkadyevitch, recovering himself. "She

is crushed, simply crushed by your generosity. If she were to

read this letter, she would be incapable of saying anything, she

would only hang her head lower than ever."

"Yes, but what's to be done in that case? how explain, how find

out her wishes?"

"If you will allow me to give my opinion, I think that it lies

with you to point out directly the steps you consider necessary

to end the position."

"So you consider it must be ended?" Alexey Alexandrovitch

interrupted him. "But how?" he added, with a gesture of his

hands before his eyes not usual with him. "I see no possible way

out of it."

"There is some way of getting out of every position," said Stepan

Arkadyevitch, standing up and becoming more cheerful. "There was

a time when you thought of breaking off.... If you are convinced

now that you cannot make each other happy..."

"Happiness may be variously understood. But suppose that I agree

to everything, that I want nothing: what way is there of getting

out of our position?"

"If you care to know my opinion," said Stepan Arkadyevitch with

the same smile of softening, almond-oil tenderness with which he

had been talking to Anna. His kindly smile was so winning that

Alexey Alexandrovitch, feeling his own weakness and unconsciously

swayed by it, was ready to believe what Stepan Arkadyevitch was

saying.

"She will never speak out about it. But one thing is possible,

one thing she might desire," he went on, "that is the cessation

of your relations and all memories associated with them. To my

thinking, in your position what's essential is the formation of a

new attitude to one another. And that can only rest on a basis

of freedom on both sides."




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